The One Where The Monkey Gets Away
"The One Where The Monkey Gets Away" is the nineteenth episode of the first season of Friends, which aired on NBC on March 9, 1995. Plot At Central Perk, Monica enters with mail for Rachel. She is happy until she comes across her family's country club newsletter engagement section that her mom sends to her for "inspiration." Her former fiancé, Barry, is engaged to Mindy her maid of honor. Rachel & Ross eat Chinese at her place. Rachel pretends to be happy for Barry & Mindy, but inside she is both angry and jealous. Seeing the couple in the paper made her change her mind about wanting to be single. She asks Ross if it's possible to have a guy who is both a best friend & a passionate lover. Ross, trying to seize the moment, affirms it rapidly. The rest of the gang come enter, returning from a movie. Monica & Phoebe loved it while Chandler & Joey hated it. Ross picks up Marcel and heads out the door, Rachel tells Marcel she will baby-sit him tomorrow. The guys are at Joe-G's Pizza. Chandler & Joey try to tell Ross that if Rachel was interested in him, something would have happened by now. But Ross thinks the timing is perfect. He will pick up a bottle of wine after work, go over to Rachel's to get Marcel and use that as a time to "woo her." Rachel & Marcel watch a soap opera together. She is introducing the characters to him. Marcel pushes down a sofa cushion to reveal a shoe of Monica's and takes a poop in it. Rachel takes the shoe into the kitchen, scolding Marcel. She takes the newsletter of Barry & Mindy and uses it to carry the poop before folding it. She leaves the apartment, holding the newsletter at arm's length. She leaves the door open, Marcel runs out in the opposite direction. Rachel hears a gunshot coming from her soap & runs in to see who died. But then realizes that Marcel is gone. Time passes. Everyone but Ross is at Rachel's. Trying to figure out what to do about Marcel. Rachel panics because Ross is due home any moment. Monica organizes the group into search parties. The guys will search the first & second floor while Phoebe and her will take the third and fourth. She tells Rachel to wait by the phone & "wait for Ross to kill you." They leave. Monica & Phoebe knock on Mr. Heckles' door. They ask him if he saw a monkey. He asks the girls if they took his Belgian waffle that he left in the hall. They realize they are getting nowhere and move on. Back at Monica & Rachel's, Rachel is on the phone calling the police to report a missing monkey. Ross enters and she immediately pretends to order a salad before hanging up. Ross offers some wine. He uncorks the wine, starting to make his move. Rachel tells him that she lost Marcel. He reacts in disbelief. They don't see Marcel sitting on the window ledge outside the window. Ross is extremely angry & Rachel is very apologetic, crying too. She answers the door buzzer. It's Animal Control. Rachel is happy to hear they have come but Ross isn't because it's illegal for him to keep an exotic pet. If they find him, they will take him away. The Animal Control Officer knocks on the door, Rachel quickly opens it. The officer's name is Louisa; she asks who called about a monkey. Rachel & Ross act all sweet & pretend it was a big mistake. Louisa buys it until Monica & Phoebe run in, & mention the monkey. Louisa tells the group that it's illegal to own a monkey & "punishable by up to two years in prison and confiscation of the animal." Monica tries to smooth things over, she introduces herself. Louisa is surprised; she looks to Rachel and calls her by her full name. She sat behind Monica & Rachel in home room at Lincoln High. Rachel & Monica make a big deal about Louisa, who quickly realizes the girls have no clue who she is. Louisa launches into a short diatribe about how they spent all of high school ignoring her. Monica apologizes and Louisa doesn't mind her because "you were fat" but she turns to Rachel and calls her a bitch. Louisa tells the group if she finds the monkey, she is taking him in. She leaves. We see Marcel jump inside another part of the building via a window and he runs down a flight of stairs. Chandler & Joey come down from the upper floor without noticing. The two men knock on a door. A beautiful sweaty woman answers. Joey & Chandler are briefly dumbstruck. They manage to fumble out that they are looking for a monkey. She hasn't. But she asks if they know anything about fixing radiators. Another beautiful sweaty woman emerges. Joey & Chandler shoot looks at each other. Chandler wants to help but Joey tells the women they have more important things to do. Monica & Phoebe search the basement. Marcel makes a monkey noise while he sits in the corner. Monica & Phoebe try to coax Marcel out as Louisa appears on the stairs, ready to take down Marcel with a tranquilizer gun. In slow motion sequence, we see Phoebe look at Marcel, then at Louisa. She leaps toward Marcel right as Louisa fires the gun. Monica tells Marcel to run, and he does. Louisa runs after him. Monica asks Phoebe if she's okay. The dart hit her in the butt. She removes it before collapsing. Marcel is walking along a hallway. He sees a banana on the floor, picks it up. An unseen person's hand grabs him & carries him away. Ross & Rachel are outside searching. Ross realizes Marcel is gone. He kicks a sign in frustration, hurting his foot. Rachel decides to make it even with Ross, and kicks the sign too. Ross is angry at Rachel and goes into a long diatribe about how selfish she is while Rachel is trying to get his attention. A man carrying a box of bananas walks by. They stare for a moment before hobbling after him. Everyone is in the hall outside Mr. Heckles' door. Ross carries the banana box & bangs on the door. Phoebe notes how one side of her butt is completely asleep and the other "has no idea." Heckles opens the door & Ross orders him to give back the monkey. Heckles claims he doesn't have the monkey, he eats the bananas for Potassium. But a monkey noise is heard from within. Ross pushes past Heckles to find Marcel. Marcel jumps into view, wearing a pink dress. Everyone gasps at the sight. Louisa, out of shot, calls out for the monkey. Marcel runs into Louisa's cage. She refuses to give Ross his monkey. Rachel seizes the opportunity and tells Louisa if she doesn't give Marcel back, she will call the supervisor to inform her that Phoebe was shot in the ass. At Monica & Rachel's, Rachel & Ross are there. Ross tries to get the pink dress off of Marcel, but Marcel wants it on. Ross apologizes to Rachel about his attitude. He asks her if she is in the mood for wine. He goes to grab 2 glasses. He hesitates for a moment before turning off the main light. Trying to make it intimate. Rachel looks around & he acts surprised. He begins to pour the wine & starts to try and confess his feelings for her. But Barry, Rachel's former fiancé, bursts through the doors. He says he can't marry Mindy, he loves Rachel. Both Ross & Rachel are shocked. Ross exclaims, "We have got to start locking that door!" Cast and Crew Main Cast Jennifer Aniston - Rachel Green Courteney Cox - Monica Geller Lisa Kudrow - Phoebe Buffay Matt LeBlanc - Joey Tribbiani Matthew Perry - Chandler Bing David Schwimmer - Ross Geller Supporting Cast Mitchell Whitfield - Barry Farber Megan Cavanagh - Luisa Larry Hankin - Mr. Heckles Angela Visser - Samantha Elizabeth Sjoli - Tia (as Elisabeth Sjoli) James Michael Tyler - Gunther (uncredited) Crew Directed By: Peter Bonerz Written By: Jeff Astrof & Mike Sikowitz 'Episode Navigation' Category:Season 1 Category:Episodes Category:Friends